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Topic: EF 100-400 Version 2 Coming [CR2] (Read 31493 times)

tzalmagor

Canon has made 100-300, 70-300, and 75-300 models galore. That focal length range obviously sells well. Those who like this focal length range will make it very popular. My 100-400mm L is excellent, and when telescoped, it fits pretty well in a camera bag. 300mm is not enough for my FF and 1DMKIII, I'd like to have longer. But then my 600mm f/4 wasn't long enough either, so I have to be happy with 400mm.

I'm wondering for a long time why is there a 'knee' at the 300mm line - Canon has plenty of primes and zooms at a variety of prices up to 300mm, but only one zoom and view primes over the 300mm point, and those are rahter expensive.

Is this due to customer demand, or is there something in the physics behind making those lenses ?

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scalesusa

Pricing is likely set by estimating the number of sales, and then amortizing the development and tooling cost. Then, the cost of components assembly and testing. A reserve is created for warranty cost.

Advertising, cost of salesmen, transportation, cost of money for keeping a stock in inventory, etc is also added in.

Its likely that the amortized cost of development and tooling is much higher for lenses that sell only a small number of copies, and the cost of special one of a kind or limited production components is also very high.

Then, there is profit. Canon likely makes much of their profit from lens sales, and sell bodies for a small markup, knowing that owners will then have to shell out for lenses.

I'd expect that the actual cost of production was a small part of the final selling price.